Willow with Umbrella

Well, I'm hoping that by playing with an image showing rain, I can keep the snow away for yet another week. Probably wishful thinking, but what have I got to lose? Last week showed a forecast of snow all week long, but the latest forecast shows we're good until Friday...fingers crossed...



I've used a retired DSP sample pad from SU for the patterned red background - I think SU would make a killing if they'd offer these sample pads as a purchase as opposed to just a hostess benefit.

The image is from Whiff of Joy and is called Willow with Umbrella. The highly talented artist behind her is Elisabeth Bell - she has designed for a number of different stamp companies and her quality never wavers.

The ribbon came from a huge box of assorted ribbon I bought from Costco quite some time ago (I'm still determined to start using some of the supplies I've collected and that are piling up beneath my desk).

So, Mother Nature, if you can hear me, I'd be fine for snow on Christmas Day, but I really won't be disappointed if we have to go the full winter without...

Mo Manning's digital images...

...have you seen them? They are GORGEOUS. It must have taken me forever to decide which ones I wanted...or at least to narrow it down. I think I want them ALL!!!

They remind me of all the best children's book illustrations. Boys, girls, pets,..., the woman can draw them all.


This particular image is called "Psst Dani and Taylor" and it is such a great *girly* image. I've coloured these girls with my Copic markers and cut it out with either Spellbinders Nesties or my SU Bigz Top Note Die (can't quite remember which one, but it's a BIG one since I printed out the image in a rather large size - one of the coolest things about digi-stamps). There's a bit of bling (compliments of my Spica glitter pens), but it doesn't really show up in the picture.


I've UTEE'd this button, so I wanted to "show off" the gloss. It's so very cool in real life - oh, and I didn't drop it "jammy side" down on the carpet this time around, so my talents are improving. There's hope for me yet!

Hope you've all had a great weekend. We're off to see Toad of Toad Hall in the local theatre this afternoon. It's been a very busy one and I can't believe it's already Sunday. The Christmas season is already upon us in full force...yikes!!!

Schooled by a 6-year old

So, I was totally proud of this gorgeous Copic'd gingham dress (I'm so modest) on Alice (from The Greeting Farm's Wonderland) and showed my biggest cheerleader, my darling daughter Aimee.



Well, I know that kids can be cruel, but my OWN DAUGHTER???

"Ah, Mum. That's Dorothy. She has the checked dress. I know because I got the doll in my Happy Meal last year. Alice's dress is "just" blue". So, we are never going to McDonald's again...EVER. That'll teach her :)


So I guess it's pointless mentioning that the White Rabbit inside totally ties into the pale background images of the White Rabbit on the Creamy Caramel mat on the front of the card? Because, of course, Dorothy has a Toto and not a White Rabbit...

(BTW, the large sentiment on the front is to cover a big inky accident...I can admit this, because, as always, I'm "Stamping ReckLesley")

Toadally Stampalicious

So, there's this little Canadian stamp company that I came across quite by accident (thanks to SCS) and it was started up by a couple of Alberta girls who shared a common love of stamping. Well, they obviously have a fab sense of humour - you should see their images (and sentiments)!

I thought I'd give them a try - you know, support the local economy during times of financial distress and all (that's my story, don't try to make me change it, LOL!) Well, their stamps are STELLAR - clear polymer, which normally gets such a bad rep. Not the case AT ALL.

I don't know if I've mentioned that I'm a rather "lazy" stamper. I mean, I've read all the suggestions to get a better image from your clear stamps: scrub them, erase them, use a foam pad, use only pigment ink,... But, these images came (within a couple of days of ordering them, I might add) and I had to try them out IMMEDIATELY.


They stamped *beautifully* - no help needed!

And the customer service? I had one faulty image, and after a quick email to the company, I had a replacement in my mailbox a few days later. I will *definitely* shop with them again...and again...and again, LOL!

This card is made using their Rockin' Frawg set. He's paper pieced and Cuttlebugged and standing on a stage of Spellbinder Nestabilities. He makes me smile and he "toadally rocks".

Oh, have I neglected to mention the name of this great company? TOTALLY STAMPALICIOUS!

Check them out (sorry, no link as I'm still facing my inner demons there...), but Google knows them well *wink*

SU Retro

A bit of retro SU stuff...old colours, old stamp set, but with a new punch and some "new to me" ribbon (although it, too, is old SU)

This is one of the first sets I bought from SU (Yule Bits & Borders), and I had thought it looked dated. But I was determined, it was NOT going to beat me. I had some previously stamped images that I found while sorting through some of the many clear envelopes of "bits" that have accumulated below my desk.

When I realized just how many images I had all ready to use, I starting thinking to use them together on a card...and this is what I came up with.


I haven't popped up any of the main image, but the thick ribbon (and the fact that I didn't glue all the way down to the punched part), makes it look like I've intentionally added the dimension. Don't you love it when things just fall into place like that?


...and this is the inside, all prettied up!


Less than a month until Christmas...Please tell me I'm not the only one who is in no way prepared!

CTMH Christmas

Do you detect a theme this week? Or perhaps it's just a sense of "impending doom" in that Christmas is just over a month away. Every year, I promise I won't leave making Christmas cards until the last minute, but it's just so hard to deal with snowflakes and Santa Claus when the kids are running in from the backyard calling for popsicles, KWIM?


This uses one of the four adorable elves from CTHM's Merry Pursuits. Isn't he adorable? If you look really closely (or enlarge the image - although then you'll see just how "not perfect" my colouring is) you should be able to see the texture on the red cardstock - made using my SU Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates

I've coloured him using Copic markers - I'm most proud of the "glow" around the lights, made by simply letting the colour pool from the tip of a lighter coloured marker.







This last image is just to show the dimension on the layers and my strip of matching DSP on the inside of the card.

I originally got this image from the Cdn Image Swap thread on SCS (thanks Shanna), but loved it so much, I had to order it from my local (she lives on my street!) consultant (thanks Kristell!)

So, how are you all doing on your Christmas cards?

More Christmas...

This owl image called to me today. Again, loving popping up part of an image: in this case the eyes and the talons of this little cutie. He's from Cornish Heritage farms and their awesome designer Kim Hughes and I've coloured him using Copic markers.


I've made the clouds by sponging SU Bashful Blue ink over a homemade cloud stencil. The circle sentiment and the little ornament are from CTMH's Just for the holidays. If you look *really* closely, you'll see that the owl's hat is lined with Polar White Flower Soft. Again, I've used a small strip of the retired SU Dashing DSP (oh how I wish they'd offered a full pack of that striped pattern)

This card took very little time to make, but he just makes me smile!

Jolly Old Saint Nick

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...be glad you are only reading this and not hearing my sorry attempts at singing!



I'm in love with popping up parts of images at the moment. Like Santa's face on this SU image (from Jolliest of Holidays). He's also been Liquid Appliqued and glittered - well, I'd meant the glitter to only land on the snowflakes, but it seems the puffed up Liquid Applique was still a bit sticky, so Santa's got an extra bit of sparkle about him...



I've used SU's (retired) Dashing DSP (although there's a similar stripe pattern in the new Merry Moments package - not sure that it has the green in it 'though...), and my often forgotten Spiral punch.

Santa is stamped in Stazon on Watercolour Paper and coloured using my SU markers and an Aquapainter. Glitter applied liberally (you should see the carpet below my desk, LOL!).

Who's cooler than you?

I have a confession to make...

Although I am an avid reader, I have read *NONE* of the Twilight books, nor have I seen any of the films (gasp, I know!). But, that didn't stop me from falling in love with this limited edition digi-stamp from The Greeting Farm. Apparently, this is the infamous Edward.



He reminds me of Danny Zuko (aka John Travolta) from Grease, so that's why I had to use Starving Artistamps' sentiments to finish this card.

I really had fun experimenting with my Copic markers on this card. I'm determined to figure out how to "do" hair like some of those other stamping rockstars!



You'll notice that I folded in the Nestabilities die-cut - not for artistic merit, it was simply too wide for the card!



You might have noticed that I've removed the links from my sidebar and I'm no longer linking within my posts. I'm still fighting my inner demons and contemplating continuing my demoship, but I still haven't signed the new agreement - so I'm practising "being on my best behaviour". Good stuff going forward and I'm going to at least cash in on Sale-a-Bration come January.

I've also spent some time "getting to know" my PSE program a bit better, so I've prettied my pics up for this post.

Sorry, I've neglected posting for a while, but between sickness and visitors (yeah, my next excuse will be how busy it is around Christmastime, LOL!)...

And remember NOBODY's cooler than you :)